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Saturday, July 08, 2006

INDIA.AIRE HITS #1 WITH NEW ALBUM – TESTIMONY: VOL. 1, THE LIFE AND RELATIONSHIP

12-time Grammy nominee India.Arie enters the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart this week at #1 with her third studio album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship on Universal Motown Records. The acclaimed release was produced by longtime collaborators Shannon Sanders and Mark Batson (Seal, Beyonce), among others and has been receiving universal critical acclaim. Entertainment Weekly says "Testimony may just be your cup of decaffeinated jasmine tea" while VIBE Magazine describes it as "pensive and poetic," The album's first video, IAm Not My Hair, helmed by Barnaby Roper (Moby, Razorlight) has become a staple on both VH1 and BET.

"This is a great milestone for India.Arie and the entire Universal Motown team," stated Sylvia Rhone, President of Universal Motown Records. "The #1 debut of Testimony ... is a powerful testament to the unique bond she has with her audience, as well as affirming India.Arie's rightful place as one of our culture's most uplifting and empowering artists." Testimony ... is also being hailed as a more personal expression from the singer/songwriter, with People Magazine calls the CD "inspirational" and Glamour Magazine names it among "Songs to Download Now" in their July 2006 issue. India.Arie recently completed an international promotional tour for the new disc, drawing raves in Europe: "Another earthy uplifting testimony of empowerment" (New Nation 6/12), "This magnificent return shows her at her very best (Mirror, 6/9) and "With Testimony, the world will be a better place." (Daily Star, 6/7) where she previewed the startling repertoire of new songs.

India.Arie emerged onto the music scene in 2001 with her platinum plus debut Acoustic Soul. A masterful meditation on self-acceptance and womanhood, she was dubbed the new "neo-soulstress" by no less than Newsweek Magazine, praising her as "one of the freshest talents to come out of 2001," the emotive singer went on to be nominated for seven Grammys for her debut album, and subsequently has won a host of awards including 2 Grammys, 3 NAACP Awards, as well as being recognized by BET, Billboard Magazine, MTV, VH1 and Essence Magazine, among others.

2002's Voyage To India cemented her rep as a seminal singer/songwriter, netting her 4 Grammy nominations and two statues. With more than six million albums sold, she most recently was nominated for her 12th Grammy in the Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals category for her writing collaboration with Stevie Wonder on the title song of his most recent album, A Time To Love.

India.Arie is also a U.S. Ambassador for UNICEF and is universally recognized as a tireless champion of social and humanitarian causes around the world. She recently returned from a trip to South Africa where she observed and assisted humanitarian efforts taking place in the epicenter of the global AIDS crisis. She has performed with numerous artists including Sting, Elton John, Sade, Aaron Neville and Sergio Mendes to name a few and has collaborated with many others including; Stevie Wonder, John Mellencamp, Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo, RascalFlatts, Cassandra Wilson, and Elmo. She has also written songs for several movie soundtracks including Good Man for We Were Soldiers, Eyes of the Heart for Radio, Get ItTogether for Shark Tale and Purify Me for Diary of a Mad Black Woman.

India.Arie is currently on tour and will be the featured musical guest on Late Night With David Letterman, July 28.